1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to mobile data networks. More particularly, the invention relates to a network application program such as a web browser which allows a user to navigate a set of network web pages based on a user""s location and the setting of one or more auxiliary control parameters.
2. Description of the Related Art
The concept of providing a local broadcast domain through which a mobile unit passes is well known. For example, when on a cross-country trip, an automobile passes through various areas of FM radio coverage. In the art of cellular communications it has become common practice to reduce the size of a given broadcast domain. This allows frequencies to be efficiently reused. In spread spectrum communications, it is also recognized that multiple users may share frequency within a small-area broadcast domain using differently encoded waveforms for different users. Companies such as Nokia Inc. have proposed systems whereby information is broadcast to mobile subscribers within a telecommunications cell. In some envisioned methods, this broadcast information is accessible from a network application such as a web browser. A mobile subscriber is able to click on an icon and view, for example, restaurants located in the vicinity of the telecommunications cell occupied by the mobile subscriber.
Recently systems have been introduced whereby a mobile unit such as an automobile passes through a series of very small broadcast domains. Each broadcast domain is called a xe2x80x9cpicocellxe2x80x9d. For example, as a mobile user in an automobile travels along a road, the automobile encounters a sequence of network air-interface transceivers that are mounted on telephone poles and periodically placed along the roadside. The vehicle can maintain a network connection by accessing the nearest air interface at any given time. Similar picocell based systems allow a user walking through a building or campus environment to stay connected to a wireless local area network (LAN). The term xe2x80x9cair interfacexe2x80x9d is used in the art to mean a set of physical layer protocols used to communicate information via radio and other forms of wireless connections.
Data networks are also available whereby a mobile unit maintains a wireless network connection with a central server. For example, cellular digital packet data (CDPD), Internet packet Data Network (IPDN) and related technologies exist to allow a mobile unit to interact with an application such as a database. In other systems, radio frequency (RF) modems allow a mobile unit to maintain a network connection to stay connected to the Internet or some other type of network. For example, Global System Mobile (GSM) and Personal Communication Systems (PCS) technologies also allow wireless data connections to be established. Pico-cell based systems also provide wireless networks for similar use within buildings and campus environments.
A co-pending application, serial number #09/167,698 by Eric M. Dowling and Mark N. Anastasi is incorporated herein by reference and is referred to as the xe2x80x9cDowling referencexe2x80x9d hereinafter. In the Dowling reference, a method is disclosed to allow a mobile unit to maintain a virtual session with a central server. In a virtual session, an application layer program maintains a communication session in the absence of a physical communication path. When the session is inactive, no communication path exists. When data needs to be communicated, a physical connection is automatically established. This allows a remote unit to maintain a presence with a central server using, for example, a cellular connection. The virtual session only establishes the cellular connection when it is actually being used for network communications. In the context of the present disclosure, the xe2x80x9cremote unitxe2x80x9d as defined in the Dowling reference is termed a xe2x80x9cmobile unit.xe2x80x9d In a virtual-session based system, the mobile unit uses a cellular connection to maintain a virtual session with a network server attached to a network. The mobile unit runs an application program such as a web browser to communicate with a web site, an Internet site, an intranet site or other application program provided by the network server. Only when the user is actively selecting a link or downloading information is a physical communication path established to support the virtual session.
Another known technology is the global positioning system (GPS). GPS receivers use telemetry information broadcast form satellites to calculate a set of grid coordinates to provide positional information. A mobile unit equipped with a GPS receiver can thereby maintain a fix on its geographical position.
Systems have been introduced by several automobile manufacturers that use a GPS receiver to control the display of digital map information in automobiles. The map data includes locations of various types of business establishments. The map and business establishment data for these systems is stored in a PROM or EPROM memory. Typically these storage devices contain data pertinent to one state. In order to update this data the owner of the vehicle must return to the dealer once a year to have change the PROM or reprogram the EPROM. A traveler wishing to travel between states must purchase additional memory modules programmed with data for the states to be traveled in advance of an out-of-state trip. While the aforementioned technologies provide valuable services and capabilities, these systems are lacking in various ways. For example, consumer radio broadcast technology still uses large broadcast domains such as AM and FM radio stations. While next generation systems have been proposed that will effectively broadcast information such as local advertisements and service announcements to vehicles or pedestrians passing through a telecommunications cell, small locality, no technology exists to provide local broadcast information to automatically control a network application such as a web browser by selectively filtering broadcast information using a packet filter. Current approaches require a user to select an icon or navigate a browser application via conventional means to access information specific to a local area. Also, systems do not exist which allow information processed by a GPS receiver to control the flow of information on a network connection with a server. For example, no web browsers exist which process GPS transmissions to determine geographical position, and use this geographical position information to control what web pages are displayed by the browser. Likewise, no systems exist which accept locally broadcast transmissions such as from a local telephone pole and use this information to control information displayed by the web browser.
It would be desirable to have a system that could provide a user with a means to receive information from a first connection to a network based on the user""s position. It would be desirable to allow an application such as a web browser to control a flow of information comprising web pages based on a locally received broadcast. It also would be desirable to allow an application such as a web browser to control the flow of web pages based on processed GPS data. It would be desirable to have a mobile unit that could receive one or more transmissions via a second connection and then generate a request packet on a first connection to navigate an application program such as a web browser. It also would be desirable to have a network server that is operative to receive request packets that are generated based on information received from these transmissions.
Systems currently envisioned by telecommunication firms rely on the knowledge of the user""s operating wireless cell. As a position or location measurement system, this knowledge is coarse. Further, as a means for regulating pertinent information, reliance solely on cell data is limiting. Cell coordinates are too coarse to allow data such as direction of travel, speed of travel, etc to be used to predict items of interest to the user. It would therefore be desirable to base broadcast content on detailed user information including, but not limited to, past and present GPS location data.
For certain applications it would be desirable to be able to effectively use a relatively small broadcast domain to produce an xe2x80x9celectronic sign.xe2x80x9d As defined herein, an xe2x80x9celectronic signxe2x80x9d involves a system whereby a transmitter broadcasts one or more data packets to be received by a mobile unit as carried by a vehicle or a pedestrian. For example, instead of a passenger looking out of a window to see a billboard, the passenger looks at a computer display screen associated with a dashboard computer device within the vehicle. Alternatively it would also be desirable to make use of the relatively small broadcast domain to produce an xe2x80x9cindirect electronic sign.xe2x80x9d As is also defined herein, an xe2x80x9cindirect electronic signxe2x80x9d involves a system whereby a transmitter broadcasts at least one data packet to the mobile unit that then extracts information from the packet and uses it to access an associated web page. In such a system, it would be desirable to download the web pages from the server using the first network connection which is preferably a CDPD connection or a virtual session connection. Moreover, it would be desirable for the mobile unit to be able to supply a filter parameter to allow locally received broadcast packets to be selectively rejected (e.g. based on content or subject matter) and thereby not alter the web page displayed by the mobile unit.
Currently in cities and on major highways there are deployed updateable billboard sized displays that are used to inform drivers of upcoming traffic and road conditions. This information may potentially add convenience to the drivers and allow the roadway to be better utilized more efficiently. For example, a large, updateable billboard sized display can inform drivers of an accident on the roadway ahead. This information is used to prompt lane selection or alternate route selection. However, the information contained on these displays is limited in amount, and allows no dialogue or multilevel queries. It would therefore be desirable to have a display system capable of displaying detailed information in a structured manner to allow for navigation, route planning and advanced traffic management.
In other applications it would be desirable to update a large memory device within the mobile unit with current information directly from the network without the need to change memory modules or reprogram memory modules. These on-board memory devices could then be accessed for information without the necessity to access an internet connection. It would thus be desirable to be able to update this stored information by downloading information from the Internet or some other convenient and accessible network.
The present invention solves these and other problems by providing systems and methods to enable a mobile unit to maintain a first network connection with a central server and to control information flow on this connection using information received on an auxiliary channel. In one example, a mobile unit travels along a road and is exposed to a plurality of locally broadcast packets as the mobile unit enters into a local broadcast domain. A local broadcast domain includes the range of a transmitter that broadcasts data packets to mobile units within this range. When a packet of interest is received, information is automatically transferred via the first network connection and a web page or related application information is thereby accessed. Instead of the user needing to click upon a hyperlink to access a web site, a packet filter is configured to selectively pass packets according to a predefined criterion. When a packet passes through the packet filter, a web site is automatically accessed.
Because the received packet is transmitted from within a local broadcast domain, this packet carries with it geographically related information. For example, if a geographical web browser according to the present invention is currently set to a xe2x80x9cmoviesxe2x80x9d Internet site, when the mobile unit passes into an area with several movie theaters, the passed packet will include a pointer to the associated movie theaters"" web pages. In some systems the web pages will be automatically downloaded into a buffer within the mobile unit, while in other systems a set of hyperlinks to these local theaters will appear.
In another aspect of the present invention, the mobile unit also maintains the network connection, but derives geographical information from a GPS receiver. The network connection preferably is an Internet connection or a connection to a central server such as a database server. GPS information is received and processed in the GPS receiver. Periodically, processed GPS information may be transmitted via the mobile network connection to the network server. When this processed GPS information is received, the network server is operative to control the flow of information to the mobile unit based upon the processed GPS information. In some embodiments the mobile unit maintains a list of local sites and sends information to the server based on a configuration parameter. This information may be specific to the requested areas of interest or it may contain a complete update to the mobile unit""s database
The mobile unit is thereby able to navigate the Internet based on the mobile unit""s geographical position in addition to prior art methods employing mouse and keyboard inputs. When a virtual connection is being used, GPS information need only be transmitted at pre-specified intervals or upon the detection of pre-specified events. For example, a filter is preferably employed to cause the network connection to only be activated when the mobile unit enters a locality associated with a web site of interest. For example, a hungry user entering a new city is interested in seeing web pages for local restaurants. Based upon the GPS position indication a list of restaurants in surrounding localities is downloaded into a memory of the mobile unit. When the GPS receiver indicates the mobile unit is in a designated locality, web pages for those restaurants in the local area are downloaded or retrieved from memory and displayed.
The present invention provides a means for a user to xe2x80x9csurf the webxe2x80x9d or otherwise navigate a network application program based on geographically related information such as locally broadcast packets and GPS information. One or more filter parameters are used to screen information of interest to a user. A set of information deemed to be of interest to a user is called an xe2x80x9cinformation class.xe2x80x9d
The present invention also enables a road-navigation or traffic management system. For example, the user maintains a virtual connection to a central server that provides real-time best-route information through a navigation or traffic management web page. A plurality of sensors measures road conditions based on vehicle speeds as measured by sensors such as laser or infrared continuity sensors dispersed along the roadways. Additionally, special traffic data is monitored, or manually entered, including weather advisories, accident locations and effects and special event locations and effects. The central server thereby keeps track of road conditions and is able to display such information and to assign xe2x80x9ccostsxe2x80x9d to route segments. The mobile unit stays virtually connected to the navigation web page and is updated with digital maps indicating the best current route leading from the mobile unit""s current position to a selected destination.